CHICAGO — Starting in October, residents and restaurants in Andersonville will be able to turn their trash into ... compost.
The Andersonville Development Corp. announced this week plans to launch a pilot community compost program in the North Side neighborhood.
“Everyone’s generating compost," said Brian Bonanno, the group's sustainability programs manager. "There’s an opportunity in collecting those food scraps and turning them into a resource.”
For small fees, people can compost organic waste such as fruit, veggies, eggshells, coffee grounds and spent grains, Bonanno said.
Five-gallon buckets — think paint cans with tight lids — and ongoing info sessions are free for residents. Weekly waste collection will ring in at $3 per 5-gallon bin.
Businesses can opt for 32-, 65- or 95-gallon totes, which would resemble the city's blue recycling bins, Bonanno said. Pickup costs $15 per tote, and multiple collection days will be available.
The program — which is being coordinated by the Andersonville Development Corp., Chicago Compost Coalition, Loyola University and the Chicago Resource Center — has the following boundaries:
• Peterson Avenue on the north
• Lawrence Avenue on the south
• Ravenswood Avenue on the west
• Ridge Avenue and Broadway on the east
“It really has not been done on this scale in the city yet," Bonanno said. "The goal is to show ... we can make this affordable."
Registration closes Sept. 17.
For more information, stop by the town hall meeting from 6:30-8 p.m. Monday at the Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark St.
